If her family hadn’t emigrated from Ukraine to the United States 25 years ago, Natalia Fedner
knows, her life might well be far different.

“Just look at Ukraine right now. I could be there,” she said, fighting back tears at the thought
of the country’s standoff with Russia over Ukraine’s Crimea region.

Instead, Fedner — who grew up in Bexley and lives in Los Angeles — has been free to pursue her
interest in fashion design.

For that, she is grateful.

“It doesn’t matter what your dream is,” she said. “If you’re willing to work hard and if you’re
good to people, you will get it. That’s all you have to believe.”

Her work as a designer has landed her on the Lifetime reality competition
Project Runway: Under the Gunn, a first-year spinoff of
Project Runway.

The new TV series, hosted by fashion celebrity Tim Gunn, began with 15 up-and-coming designers —
a number whittled to 12 after the second episode.

The dozen who survived were placed on teams of four led by one of three mentors:
Project Runway alumni Mondo Guerra, Anya Ayoung-Chee or Nick Verreos.

Beginning with the third episode, Gunn has presented a new weekly challenge that tests the
mentors’ ability to bring out the best in their designers. One designer has been eliminated each
week.

In the episode tonight, six competitors — including Fedner — remain. The winning designer will
take home $100,000, a Lexus and other prizes; the winning mentor will receive a Lexus and a
guest-editor position at
Marie Claire for a year.

Fedner’s mentor is Verreos, a Venezuela native who has seen his high-end designs worn by
Beyonce, Heidi Klum, Katy Perry and other celebrities.

Fedner — a former student of Gunn’s at Parsons the New School for Design in New York, from which
she graduated in 2005 — had tried out for the second season of
Project Runway.

She didn’t make it but went deep into the process.

After
Under the Gunn was conceived, producers asked her whether she wanted to give the show a
shot. She did and made the cut.

The competition, filmed in November and December, posed its challenges — most notably, the quick
turnarounds, Fedner said.

She considers herself a perfectionist who pays attention to detail and wants to offer unique
designs.

“I like to look at things from a different perspective,” Fedner said. “For me, it’s all about
what has not been done. How can I invent something? But you can’t have the luxury of the
experimental-time process during this type of a show.”

Designing and art have long been parts of Fedner’s world.

As a child, she would draw to keep occupied, including sketching Barbie dolls in various
dresses.

Later, her art teacher at Bexley High School noticed her passion and predicted success.

“She was someone who knew what she wanted, and she went for it,” said Mabi Ponce de Leon, who
still teaches at the school.

Fedner’s close friends also recognized her potential.

“I still have a portrait she did of me hanging in my room at my parents’ house,” said Samara
Preisler, a friend since middle school who wore a Fedner-designed gown for her May 2011
wedding.

“She poured her heart and her talent into making my dress,” the Bexley resident said. “I am
confident that a better dress does not exist. It was perfect.”

This month, Fedner realized a dream when one of her dresses was worn at the Academy Awards
ceremony: Joanna DeGeneres, sister-in-law of show host Ellen

DeGeneres, chose a dress from her collection.

“(Joanna) told me that she’s never been complimented so many times in her entire life — not even
on her wedding day — and that was a huge compliment to me,” Fedner said.

With her resume building, Fedner can’t help acknowledging her good fortune.

Growing up in Bexley, where her parents still live, was “an incredible experience that you can
only appreciate once you leave,” she said.

And she hasn’t forgotten those most responsible for helping her succeed: her parents, Alla and
Greg Fedner.

“People like to say their parents are their heroes, and mine really are,” she said. “They were
only 28 years old when they took us (she and her two younger sisters) out of that country. They
didn’t know where they were going. They had to leave everything behind.

“I’m just so lucky with the life I’ve had; I don’t take anything for granted.”